Four places to jump and leap in Chicago

By Elizabeth Diffin

Senior Editor

1/23/12 4:10 PM

It comes but once every four years, which means that Leap Day
doesn't get its own traditions (save that one across the pond where
women get to propose marriage). So this year, when the 29th of
February rolls around, we hope you'll make a new family tradition
with one of these four places to leap.

1 Inflatable fun

The ultimate rainy-day play places are just as appealing on Leap
Day, with an array of bounce houses, slides and obstacle courses to
choose from. Fortunately, several Chicagoland play places have open
jump hours on Leap Day itself. Check out Pump It Up Orland Park
(6:15-8:15 p.m.), Jump!Zone Niles (12:30-2:30 p.m.), Bouncin'
Bonkers in Crest Hill (4-8 p.m.), or Monkey Joe's in Wheaton and
Lake Zurich, which welcome walk-ins all the time.

pumpitupparty.com

jumpzoneparty.com

monkeyjoes.com

bouncinbonkers.com

2 Dance for joy

You don't have to know how to pull off the perfect jeté to leap in
style. Stop by Rumble Arts in Humboldt Park, where classes are on a
drop-in basis and focus on more unusual styles like African Dance.
Plus the $5-$10 per class is completely affordable! Or if you're
looking to dance it up as a family, consider the Dance Center of
Columbia College Chicago's FamilyDance program on Feb. 25, where
you try out movements together, before letting the professionals
get to work.

rumblearts.com

colum.edu/dance_center

3 Go green

What better way to learn to leap than by paying a visit to the
masters of the craft: frogs. Lincoln Park Zoo and Brookfield Zoo
are both home to exotic species like the Dyeing Poison Arrow Frog
and the Blue Poison Frog, but even the smaller Cosley Zoo in
Wheaton cares for hop-happy amphibians like the American Bullfrog
and the Cuban Tree Frog. Or you can just wait for a rainy early
spring day and try your hand at catching a frog friend
yourself.

lpzoo.org

brookfieldzoo.org

cosleyzoo.org

4 Try the trampoline

The newest trend in our never-ending attempt to really wear kids
out is the indoor trampoline center. These warehouse-style
buildings are filled with trampolines everywhere you look-including
the walls. Even better, there often are giant foam pits to jump
into, making it a safe and fun endeavor for everyone. We like
Xtreme Trampolines, with locations in Carol Stream and Buffalo
Grove, and Sky High Sports in Naperville and Niles.

xtremetrampolines.com

jumpskyhigh.com

Elizabeth Diffin

It comes but once every four years, which means that Leap Day
doesn't get its own traditions (save that one across the pond where
women get to propose marriage). So this year, when the 29th of
February rolls around, we hope you'll make a new family tradition
with one of these four places to leap.

1) Inflatable fun

The ultimate rainy-day play places are just as appealing on Leap
Day, with an array of bounce houses, slides and obstacle courses to
choose from. Fortunately, several Chicagoland play places have open
jump hours on Leap Day itself. Check out Pump It Up Orland Park
(6:15-8:15 p.m.), Jump!Zone Niles (12:30-2:30 p.m.), Bouncin'
Bonkers in Crest Hill (4-8 p.m.), or Monkey Joe's in Wheaton and
Lake Zurich, which welcome walk-ins all the time.

pumpitupparty.com

jumpzoneparty.com

monkeyjoes.com

bouncinbonkers.com

2) Dance for joy

You don't have to know how to pull off the perfect jeté to leap
in style. Stop by Rumble Arts in Humboldt Park, where classes are
on a drop-in basis and focus on more unusual styles like African
Dance. Plus the $5-$10 per class is completely affordable! Or if
you're looking to dance it up as a family, consider the Dance
Center of Columbia College Chicago's FamilyDance program on Feb.
25, where you try out movements together, before letting the
professionals get to work.

rumblearts.com

colum.edu/dance_center

3) Go green

What better way to learn to leap than by paying a visit to the
masters of the craft: frogs. Lincoln Park Zoo and Brookfield Zoo
are both home to exotic species like the Dyeing Poison Arrow Frog
and the Blue Poison Frog, but even the smaller Cosley Zoo in
Wheaton cares for hop-happy amphibians like the American Bullfrog
and the Cuban Tree Frog. Or you can just wait for a rainy early
spring day and try your hand at catching a frog friend
yourself.

lpzoo.org

brookfieldzoo.org

cosleyzoo.org

4) Try the trampoline

The newest trend in our never-ending attempt to really wear kids
out is the indoor trampoline center. These warehouse-style
buildings are filled with trampolines everywhere you look-including
the walls. Even better, there often are giant foam pits to jump
into, making it a safe and fun endeavor for everyone. We like
Xtreme Trampolines, with locations in Carol Stream and Buffalo
Grove, and Sky High Sports in Naperville and Niles.

xtremetrampolines.com

jumpskyhigh.com

Elizabeth Diffin is the senior editor at Chicago Parent. She lives in Wheaton.